Elladora Black
by TheWitchofLOTR
Summary: Elladora Black, daughter of Regulus Black and Nathalia Rowle, and her journey through Hogwarts and beyond. Elladora was a baby when her parents passed. The rest of her family was in Azkaban so it was up to her grandmother Walburga to raise her. This story is not AU. The beginning will be K rated, but it will become more T further through. Eventual Charlie Weasley/OC
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer- Everything belongs to the fabulous J.K Rowling :) (Except for Elladora and any other OC's that pop up)

Chapter 1 – Ollivanders

A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of a narrow and shabby shop as a small girl entered beside a wizened old woman.

The woman waited for quite a few moments. "Hello?" she asked with her brittled, yet commanding voice towards the dark back of the shop. An old man rolled out on an ancient wheeled ladder from the rows and rows of wands before standing before them, his pale, watery eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.

"Ah Mrs. Black. 10 inches, dragon heartstring and hawthorn if my memory serves me well?"

"It does indeed Mr. Ollivander." Mrs. Black subtly pushed the girl forwards.

"Good evening Mr. Ollivander. My name is Elladora Black." she held out her small hand and he shook it deftly.

"You be must be Regulus' child. You have his eyes, yet you have your mothers nose. I was wondering when you would visit my shop." he said to Elladora. Mr. Ollivander turned towards her grandmother.

"Such good manners!"

"It is only fitting. She is of noble birth, and I have raised her accordingly." Mrs. Black said. Sniffing her nose haughtily.

"Of course." Mr Ollivander complaisantly replied.

"Lets look for a wand that will fit you now Miss. Black. I do remember your father's wand, Cypress and Unicorn hair, 12 inches, rather pliable."

He seemed to be in deep thought for a while before pulling out a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"

Elladora held forth her right arm.

"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Elladora from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round her head. As he measured, he said,

"Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Miss. Black. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."

Elladora thought that his speech seemed rather well rehearsed. _'He must say it to all his customers'_ she speculated as Mr. Ollivander left the measuring tape to record by itself while he fiddled around the shelves, occasionally taking out boxes.

"That will do," he said, and the tape measure flopped onto the floor. "Right then, Miss. Black. Try this one. Eight and a half inches, Blackthorn and Dragon Heartstring, unyielding.

Elladora picked up the wand and waved it at a pot of flowers, she grinned as one of the flowers started dancing, but her grin faded as the flower shrivelled up and crumbled onto the counter. Mr. Ollivander snatched the wand from her hand after grimacing. "No, no, not to worry dear- here, ten inches Cedar, Unicorn hair and slightly springy."

This time, Elladora waved the wand at the small chair in the shop, but it flew over their heads and broke against the wall.

"No matter." Mr. Ollivander said as he repaired the chair and sent it back to where it once was with a wave of his wand.

A few wands later Elladora held the handle of an Aspen and Dragon Heartstring, quite springy eleven and half inches. A sudden warmth spread through her fingers. She waved the wand and a bright smile came over her face as a pleasant bright gust of wind twirled about her. Mr. Ollivander cried, "Ha Ha! Oh well done".

"Thank you so very much Mr. Ollivander" said Elladora

"Oh it was my pleasure dear."

She paid seven gold Galleons for her wand, and Mr. Ollivander bowed them from his shop.

As they departed, Elladora bumped into a freckled red headed boy coming into the same shop she just left.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry" she said.

"It's alright" the boy replied.

A man with the same flaming red hair and freckles as the boy appeared behind him.

"Walburga Black!" He exclaimed.

Mrs. Black sneered "Weasley."

"Wonderful to see you" he said in such a tone that made Elladora doubt if this statement was true.

Mrs. Black ignored the man and was about to leave until the man noticed Elladora.

"And who might this little lady be?"

"Good evening sir, my name is Elladora Black."

"Good evening to you too Miss Elladora. You must be going in to your first year, Charlie here will be a first-year as well" He put his hand on Charlie's shoulder.

Walburga cut in, "Come now Ella we must get your robes fitted."

Elladora's grandmother pulled her away towards Madam Malkins before she could reply to the Weasleys.

"Why did you hurry away from the Weasleys grandmother? I thought they were pure-bloods? Plus Beatrice already fitted my robes last week"

The comforting smell of new clothes and leather enveloped Elladora as they entered Madam Malkin's.

"Their blood is indeed pure, but they are traitors to our kind. And I thought it would be a fine idea to visit Beatrice"

Elladora shrugged and reached out her hand to fiddle with a soft navy fabric. Mrs. Black's voice seemed to alert their presence to an old squat witch dressed in all mauve who came bustling out from behind a row of smart cloaks with a few pins on hand.

"Walburga! Dearest it has been far too long since I last saw you." Beatrice Malkin said in a friendly tone as she pinned the robes on a boy with dark brown hair and large caterpillar eyebrows.

"Beatrice dear it certainly has been far too long for my liking. When was the last time we laid eyes on each other?"

"Why, it must have been last week!"

The two women giggled. Elladora could not find the humour in this, but she was not surprised. When Beatrice Malkin and Walburga Black were together, it seemed to be as if they were in Hogwarts again.

Beatrice greeted Elladora with a peck on both cheeks and slyly handed her a chocolate frog from her apron. She turned back to Mrs. Black.

"Have you heard the news Walburga? The old Minister Ignatius Tuft died of a heart attack."

"Good riddance! I say, that man was an absolute fool."

The two women gossiped and Elladora's eyes became unfocused on watching Beatrice pin the boys robes. Her vision cleared and noticed that the boy with the eyebrows was leering at her. Wishing to avoid being in this boys presence, Elladora floated over to her grandmother.

"May I have some change Grandmother? There is a new book at Flourish and Blotts that I must get."

"We'll go over together dear as we may as well buy your school books there as well, and they will be hard to carry." she fished out a leather purse from her green velvet handbag and handed it to Elladora. "Here, look around the Magical Menagerie, buy anything you like but a cat, you know I am allergic. Be here in under 20 minutes."

Elladora grinned excitedly "Yes Grandmother." Mrs. Black had already continued with her conversation.

Elladora exited the shop into the busy Diagon Alley. A plump man outside the Apothecary was shaking his head as she passed, saying, "Boomslang skin, a galleon an ounce, what a joke"

A low, soft hooting came from Eeylops Owl Emporium. Several boys of about Elladora's age had their noses pressed against a window with broomsticks in it. "Look," She heard one of them say, "the new Comet 260 - fastest ever —"

Elladora smirked, her uncle Thorfinn had gotten her that very broom for her birthday in June. _It's a shame first years aren't allowed brooms_ she thought glumly. She'd only flown her broom around her yard a few times.

The bell tinkled lightly as she entered the very crowded menagerie, noisy with the sounds of all the animals. Elladora was browsing though the fire-crab cages when the shop assistant appeared over her shoulder.

"Ahh yes I see you've found the fire crabs, I'm afraid that you'll have to have a special license to buy one of those. Over this way are some rather amazing felines" he said in a honeyed tone.

"No, sorry but my grandmother is allergic. Could you perhaps show me some other animals?"

"Of course! Over here are some Puffskeins, I'm sure a girl your age would love one of these fluffy.."

"What is that?" Elladora interpreted.

"Oh those are the great eastern snakes with…"

"No, what is _that_ ," she said pointing to a sleek, black rodent, its dark eyes looking right into hers.

"Oh, that is a rat. Yet it is no ordinary rat." he said, leading her towards the said animal, enclosed in a windowed box, surrounded on all sides by the snake boxes. "We have tried to feed this rat to the snakes twice, but he's escaped both times!"

"Perfect. Ill take him."

"Are you sure?" the man said doubtfully. "There are plenty of rabbits in stock."

"No, I will take him." Elladora said in finality. The shop assistant sighed and reached into the box. He handed it to her. The rat seemed docile and sniffed Elladora a few times before climbing up onto her shoulder.

"That will be 5 galleons please." the shop assistant said. Elladora handed over the correct amount and walked out of the shop feeling happy with her purchase.

She looked down at her watch and had five minutes to spare so she hurried back to Madam Malkins. She walked inside, and as she did so, Beatrice gave a great shriek and pointed to her shoulder. "What is _that_?!".

"His name is Maximus." she replied wittily.

"Well get it out of my shop!" she shooed Walburga and Elladora out onto the alley and they started towards Flourish and Blotts.

"I probably should have mentioned that Beatrice hates rats" smirked Walburga.

They entered the bookshop and the smell of parchment whirled over Ella". She took a deep breath in and headed towards the history isle, but her grandmother pulled her back.

"School books first." Walburga said with stern eyes. Elladora glanced longingly at the many volumes waiting to be leafed through before following her grandmother. They made a quick purchase, and Elladora got the book on Goblins, so she was content. Everything else on her school list they already had at home, so they disapparated out of the alley with a 'pop'.

0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O

A/U-

Hey guys, this is a redo of my old story Myra Black. If you notice any mistakes please notify me :)

You will probably notice that Walburga is kinder than you would expect, but since we only got a judgement of character from Sirius, who hated her, and she raised Elladora all on her own, I thought she might be a bit different this time round.

The name Beatrice is something that randomly came to mind, I did not base her name of anything :)

Maximus means 'greatest' in Latin.

Please review! Reviews keep me going :)

Chapter 2 will be posted soon ;)


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer- Everything belongs to the fabulous J.K Rowling :) (Except for Elladora and any other OC's that pop up)

Chapter 2-

Walburga Black arrived at the swarming platform 9 ¾ with a sneer marring her face as she looked at a pair of parents who were dressed in muggle clothes. She held a dark haired girl by the shoulder.

"I hope you'll be sorted into Slytherin, of course, but I expect you would be sorted into Ravenclaw due to your unhealthy obsession with books."

Elladora nodded, the nerves finally hitting her. She was finally going to Hogwarts!

"Did we pack your socks? You always seem to forget your socks."

"Yes grandmother."

"Do you have Maximus?" he squeaked from his cage in reply.

"How about your wand?"

"Yes, grandma it's in my pocket."

Elladora looked at her grandmother tenderly. With her parents dead and the rest of her family in Azkaban, Walburga was the only close relative she had. She had raised Elladora for as long she could remember, and she felt rather guilty leaving her grandmother alone at home with only their house-elf Kreacher for company.

"You'll be ok won't you? I promise to write to you every week."

"I will be just fine child." replied her grandmother. The train's horn blared as Walburga embraced Elladora. Ella felt a great rush of warmth, as hugs were uncommon in her family.

Elladora loaded her trunk into the back of the Hogwarts Express and climbed aboard into an empty compartment. The train began to move.

She looked out her compartment's window to see all the parents all huddling elbow-to-elbow, trying to get one last glimpse of their children. She waved at her grandmother until the trained disappeared as it rounded the corner.

The door of the compartment slid open and a girl with dark, twinkling eyes, a pale, heart-shaped face and bubblegum-pink hair stood in the doorway.

"Can I come in?" she asked with a rather loud voice.

"Sure"

"Nymphadora Tonks," she out her hand which was embellished with multiple rings and chipped black nail polish "but I like Tonks better because Nymphadora sounds stupid." Elladora shook her hand.

"Good evening, I'm Elladora Black." she said as she shook Tonks' hand

"Gosh you sound like my mum." said Tonks with a laugh. "She's talked about you you know? You're her cousins daughter I think, so we're related!"

Elladora's eyes lit up. She had met a few of her distant relatives before, and Tonks seemed to be very different to them, Elladora liked it.

"Well if we're related," said Elladora, "you should come visit my grandmother and I sometime."

Tonks grimaced, "I'm not too sure if that will turn out too well. The family hates my mum, so I wouldn't exactly be very welcome I think."

"Oh, why is that?"

"Well she ran off with my dad, who's a muggle-born. That makes me a half-blood."

Elladora faltered. Tonks noticed. Her eyes turned cold. "Well if you're a part of that family then I guess you would think like them too," she said as she started to open the door.

"No wait!" exclaimed Elladora. " I don't really mind if you're a half-blood, you're still my family."

Tonks smiled and her hair turned a soft blue. "Good."

"Wow!" exclaimed Elladora. "You're a Metamorphmagus!"

"Yeah!" said Tonks as she changed it back to pink.

Giggles could be heard if you were to walk past their compartment, as Tonks entertained Elladora by changing her face into all sorts of animals. Elladora's grandmother's warnings about half-bloods and blood-traitors flew from her mind as she sat with Tonks, as she seemed like a nice girl.

As a lanky, brown haired boy walked in their compartment, Tonks was holding out handfuls of cards to Elladora.

"No don't even try and bribe me, especially not with chocolate frog cards. Calling me Dora just won't work, as your name ends with Dora too!" said Elladora throwing her hands up in the air.

"Yeah, but I don't allow anyone to call me Nymphadora. So calling you Dora is fine."

"Well why don't I just call you Dora then? You can always call me Ella."

Tonks struggled with this thought for a moment before complying.

"Fine, but you're one of the select few that be allowed to call me that."

"Deal," Ella grinned

The boy who had been lingering in the doorway cleared his throat.

Elladora spoke first "Oh, hello. Terribly sorry we didn't see you there."

"It's alright, can I sit here?"

"You sure can!" Dora exclaimed. She grabbed his trunk and pushed it onto the rack above Ella's seat. Ella though the boy had a rather strange sense of fashion. He was wearing ripped black pants and black laced shoes. His wavy, shoulder-length hair swirled about as he sat down.

"My name's Donaghan Tremlett, what's yours?"

"Elladora Black."

"Tonks."

"Just Tonks?" he asked.

"Well it's actually Nymphadora, but I swear my mum was drunk when she named me that, so just call me Tonks."

Donaghan chuckled. "I like your rat," he said. Looking up at Maximus in his cage.

"Thank you. His name's Maximus."

"Cool."

"So what house do you guys think you'll be put in?" asked Dora.

"Well," said Donaghan in his husky voice, "from what I've read about them, Ravenclaw and Slytherin seem to suit me the best."

"I reckon I'm going to be a Gryffindor!" said Dora. "My dad was a Hufflepuff, but my mum was a Slytherin. What about you Ella?"

Elladora had put quite a lot of thought into what house she wanted to be. "Well, I was reading a History of Magic, and Bagshot said that students were sorted according to what they value, rather than their personality. My grandmother wants me to be in Slytherin like the rest of my family. I do value resourcefulness, cunning and ambition a tad, but I really think I value wit, wisdom, and learning more, so I do hope to be in Ravenclaw."

Dora snorted. "Well you certainly are the Ravenclaw type."

Her hair grew down half way down her back and turned black. Her eyes turned grey and her features became sharper. A copy of Ella was sitting right in front of her.

"To quote The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection," said Dora in a very pompous tone, "Werewolf bites should be thoroughly and magically cleaned, as the werewolf's fangs are venomous. However, there is no cure once you have become a werewolf, so try and avoid being bitten at all costs."

Donaghan jumped in fright and backed towards the door "What the hell?!" he exclaimed. Elladora asked through her laughter as Tonks transformed back to herself, "How on earth did you remember that?"

Donaghan waved his arms about, "Excuse me for interrupting what would probably have been a very lively discussion, but did anyone just notice what just happened?"

Ella giggled. "She's a metamorphmagus silly."

"Well how was I supposed to know that?" He replied moodily, sitting back down.

"You're a muggle-born aren't you?" asked Tonks

"Yeah. I am." he said.

Tonks looked at Elladora to see how she would react. Ella didn't even flinch.

"What is a metamorphmagus anyway?" he asked.

"Well, metamorphmagi are witches or wizards with the ability to change his or her physical appearance at will, rather than requiring Polyjuice or a spell like the rest of the us. They are really rare." said Ella

"Thanks professor Black," Tonks grinned.

"I bet I'm the worst in the class." Donaghan said. "You two already know heaps about this world, I thought I was a muggle until a few weeks ago."

"You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough." said Tonks.

"True," Ella added, "just catch up on some reading and you'll be fine. You'll be spending the rest of your life as a wizard, so you have time."

This seemed to put Donaghan in a better mood.

While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of grass animals. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields pass by.

Donaghan broke the silence.

"Damn, I wish I brought my guitar."

"You play guitar?" asked Tonks.

"Mmhm. Bass."

"Cool!" she said, enthralled.

Around twelve-thirty there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"

The lady had all of Ella's favourites. She bought A pumpkin pastie and a liquorice wand for 17 Knuts. Tonks had loaded herself with a heap of Chocolate had a packed lunch, but he seemed to want to buy something from the cart anyway, though he seemed stuck on what to get.

"Get Bertie Bott's and we can try them." suggested Ella with an innocent smile.

Tonks rubbed her hands together. "Good idea!"

He payed the trolley witch a few Knuts and closed the door behind him.

"Alright," he said, "what are we going to play?"

"Well." Tonks grinned evilly. "All we have to do is go in a circle trying the Beans."

Donaghan glanced suspiciously between the two before shrugging and trying a white bean. Ella and Tonks waited expectantly.

"Yum. Tastes like coconut."

Dora deflated and took the packet off him. She picked out a golden bean, put it in her mouth and spat it out immediately.

"Gross! Earwax!"

Ella laughed and picked a bean for herself. it was pink with small dots on it. She hoped for grapefruit, and she believed it was until she realised it was vomit. She spat it out and furiously ate her Liquorice wand. Donaghan and Dora laughed as she failed to get the horrid taste from her mouth. She quickly picked out a blue one which she knew was toothpaste and that seemed to help.

Elladora and Tonks had pushed Donaghan from the compartment and were changing into their robes as a voice rang through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

They reunited with Donaghan and joined the crowd thronging the corridor as the train slowed right down and finally stopped. Elladora stepped out onto a tiny, dark platform and pulled her cloak closer to her body as the night air was certainly colder than the warmth of the Hogwarts Express.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" said an extremely large man with a big furry beard. "C'mon, follow me - any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

There was a loud "Oooooh!" as the narrow path they were walking on opened up for them to see a lake, and beyond that lake there was a vast castle perched atop a tall hill.

"No more'n four to a boat!" the burly man called, pointing to a crowd of little boats sitting on the shore of the dark lake. Ella, Donaghan and Dora climbed in to one of them with a timid, blue eyed girl.

"Everyone in?" shouted the big man, who had a boat to himself. "Right then - FORWARD!"

The formation of tiny vessels glided through the water all at once and the girl grabbed the sides of the boat as if hanging on for fear of losing her life.

"Heads down!" yelled the man as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the boats carried them through a veil of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached an underground dock of sorts, where they all clambered out.

They followed the giant-like man. The glowing torch providing the only source of light as they came out of the rock, and onto damp grass that slept in the wake of the castle.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door. The giant man knocked thrice on the door with his massive fist.

A/N -

Reviews are appreciated :)

I will try and update at least once a week.

Please let me know if you notice any mistakes!

I based Elladora's appearance off Zooey Deschanel (cover pic).

Did anyone realise who Donaghan is? (;


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer- Everything belongs to the fabulous J.K Rowling :) (Except for Elladora and any other OC's that pop up)

Authors note- Sorry about the late update!

Chapter 3- The Sorting

The door immediately swung open. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there, intimidating and imposing. Elladora was reminded of her grandmother Walburga.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." she said with a Scottish tilt.

She pulled the door wide and revealed the tremendous entrance hall. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting. I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly." She left the chamber.

"How exactly do they sort us into houses? My mum wouldn't tell be because of 'tradition' or some other kind of farce." said Dora

"I have no idea actually" said Ella with a worried look on her face.

"Well that must be a first," grinned Donaghan.

"My brother Bill told me that we had to fight a troll" said Charlie, who was standing beside Donaghan. Something happened that made him jump about a foot in the air, and several people behind her screamed. Dora and Ella held on to each other for dear life as a parade of ghosts entered through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another, hardly glancing at the first years. A pale skinned, black haired, orange eyed poltergeist came through last, cackling madly to himself as he dropped a bucket of water all over them. They all screamed.

"That was your last chance Peeves!" shouted a ghost wearing a ruff and tights as he chased the poltergeist out of the hall.

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start- oh" the professor paused." Peeves I suppose?" she asked as she gestured to their soaking wet clothes and hair. A few student nodded dimly. With a wave of her wand their clothes and hair immediately dried.

"Cool," she heard Donaghan whisper to her left.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."

Elladora got into line behind Donaghan, Dora following behind her, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. Ella thought it was strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in mid-air over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting.

Professor McGonagall led the first years so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. Ella saw Dora looking up in wonder at the ceiling. "Its bewitched to look like the sky outside," said Ella. They grinned at each-other – this place was amazing.

Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth - and the hat began to sing.

—

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

"So we've just got to put on the hat!" Exclaimed Ella.

"Seems like it," replied Donaghan.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said.

"Bagnold, Fiona" was a called first. The tables sat in anticipation, wondering who would get the Minister for Magic's daughter.

"RAVENCLAW!" the hat shouted, and the table cheered loudly.

"Black, Elladora!"

A few whispers of "Black? As in Sirius Black?" Echoed around the hall. Ella had only known about her uncle from curiously searching through his room. Her grandmother never talked about her other son. Professor McGonagall silenced the whispers with a sharp glare.

Ella put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. She waited.

"Hmm," said a deep, gravelly voice in her ear. "I have no doubt about where you should go Miss. Black. You possess unusual intellectual interests, and you do indeed value wit and wisdom" the hat paused. "Do not fret over what your family's reaction will be. As Hogwarts is your new home." The hat whispered before shouting out. "RAVENCLAW!"

The Professor took it off her head and the second table to the left clapped; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands her.

"Nora Hurst," said a fairly confidant girl with her hair in a braid.

"Ben McKinnon," said a small, black haired boy.

"Aubrey Jones," said a deep voiced boy.

"Fiona Bagnold," the ministers daughter said with a smile.

"Pleasure to meet you all," replied Ella, shaking their offered hands as she sat across from Fiona Bagnold.

"Burrows, Bridie" sat next to Bagnold at the Ravenclaw table, while her sister, "Burrows, Deirdre" became the first Gryffindor.

"Calloway, Brendan," a moments pause. "HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Carrow, Alena," a girl she went to tutoring with, went to Slytherin.

"Connolly, Rowan" sat on the stool for more than a minute before he became a Slytherin too.

"Dawson, Joshua!"

"GRYFFINDOR!" the table cheered raucously.

"Greene, Olivia" became a Hufflepuff.

"King, Leon" went to Gryffindor. Ella thought it was fitting.

When Susan Macmillan, the girl who shared a boat with her, stumbled her way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Susan, it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

There weren't many people left now.

"Nottingham" and "O'Hara" who joined Ravenclaw. "Parkinson" then "Rosier" and then, at last - "Tonks, Nymphadora" - it was Dora's turn to get sorted. Her hair turned a grey-white colour and a few "oohs" could be heard from many students. She and Ella grinned at each other before the hat was put on her head. After a few seconds the hat shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

Ella clapped. Of course she would get sorted into Hufflepuff. Ella was slightly disheartened, as she would have liked to share a dorm with her. But she knew that they would remain in contact. Dora bounced into her chair and her hair turned yellow and black. A few older Hufflepuffs grinned as she gleamed with house pride.

"Tremlett, Donaghan," was right after Dora. The hat was placed on his head and it immediately shouted, "RAVENCLAW!"

He sat down next to her and they grinned at each other, exited at the fact that they were in the same house.

"Wall, Matthew!"

"RAVENCLAW!" Ella shook his hand as he sat down next to Bridie Burrows.

After Weasley, Charlie was sorted into Gryffindor, Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.

Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide.

"Good-Evening… to our new students, welcome, to our old students, welcome back! Another year full of magical education awaits you…"

Everyone cheered, the Gryffindor table being the loudest.

"Now, I'm sure you all must be quite ravenous" there were murmurs of assent. "So let the feast begin!"

He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Ella beamed at the wizard her grandmother frequently complained about.

Her eyes were pulled to the piles of food that suddenly appeared in front of her. Ella's mouth fell open. Kreacher, her house elf, had cooked up many a feast in his time, but Ella had never seen so many things she liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and,weirdly enough, peppermint humbugs. She grabbed her favourites and began to eat. It was all delicious.

When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared.

As Ella helped herself to a delicious custard tart, the talk turned to their families.

"Well you all probably know who my mother is" said Fiona Bagnold.

"… Who's your mother?" asked Donaghan. He sighed, "I'm going to fail all my classes" he said miserably, "everyone else knows heaps compared to me."

"I'm a Muggleborn too, you're not alone" said Sarah Nottingham, who was in Ella's year. "It was a relief when I got my letter. It explained why I turned my brother into a dog." she said with a half-laugh.

"Her mother is the Minister for Magic, Millicent Bagnold." said Ella. "Don't worry Donaghan, you'll learn everything soon enough, even us who have magical parents don't know that much about spell-casting and such. That's why were here at Hogwarts. To learn"

"Speaking of learning, what classes are everyone looking forward to having?" said Bridie.

"Charms seems like a fascinating subject" said Ella.

"I've learnt quite a few potions from my mum, so that class will be fun." said Matthew Wall who was a head taller than Donaghan.

"I don't know about that, my sister Alenna told me that that subject was the worst," said Bridie.

At the sound of her name, a girl that had Bridie's red hair turned from two seats away. "Potions are fine and everything, but the class is horrible because its taught by good ol' Professor Snape over there."

They turned to look up at the High Table. Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet. Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Another teacher that had dark, curly hair, was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin. Ella immediately knew that he was Professor Snape.

"He blatantly shows his favouritism to the Slytherins, and treats the rest of us like crap" Alenna continued. A boy next to her shushed her (they're only first years Alenna!). Alenna snorted, "I knew just as many curse words then as I did now Daniel"

"Who's the teacher next to Snape?" asked Bridie to her sister.

"No idea, but well find out soon, Dumbledores about to speak."

Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.

"Ahem - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils and I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. You may have noticed that we have a new member of staff joining the Hogwarts community, please welcome Professor Marcus Dribble who will be your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher" They clapped.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore.

Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.

"Everyone pick their favourite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"

And the school bellowed:

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

Just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot.

Ella mumbled all of it.

—

They followed a Ravenclaw prefect through the school, up many moving staircases and up a tight spiral staircase to a door with an bronze eagle-shaped knocker. The knocker opened it's beak and spoke.

"The rich need it,

the poor have it,

and if you eat it you die.

What is it?"

The prefect turned to the first- years.

"To get into the common room, you'll have to answer the question that the knocker gives." He turned back to the knocker.

"The answer is 'nothing'"

"Indeed" the knocker replied.

The door opened to reveal a circular room, with graceful arched windows. The walls were hung with blue and bronze silks and the domed ceiling was painted with stars, which were echoed in the midnight-blue carpet. Tables, chairs, and bookcases covered the expanse of the floor.

The prefect led them to a door that had a white-marble statue of Rowena Ravenclaw standing next to it. They walked up more stone stairs and down a short hallway till they came to a fork in the hallway.

"Now" he said, "be down at the common room by seven and I will lead you to the Great Hall for breakfast. As we are high up in the castle, it is hard to navigate your way through the castle, especially in your first year, so my fellow prefect will lead you to your classes today. Remember to wait for her after every class. I will take over the day after. By then, you should have your bearings so we will leave it up to you to figure out how to get around. If any of you need help just come to me. Girls to the left and boys to the right. Goodnight."

The girls entered a spacious room with five beds and desks spread throughout. They found their beds ( Ella's closest to the door) and flopped in the sheets of sky blue silk, too tired to talk.

Ella fell asleep to thoughts about the future and the wind whistling around the windows.

A/N-Not completely happy with this chapter

Reviews keep me going :)

Constructive criticism is appreciated, but if you don't like it, then don't read it.


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